Craig Mitchell
@crm86.bsky.social
I write about politics here: https://craigmitchell86.substack.com/
What is Political Science? Part I: Politics and the Discipline
open.substack.com/pub/craigmit...
open.substack.com/pub/craigmit...
What is Political Science? Part I
Politics and the Discipline
open.substack.com
January 8, 2026 at 5:28 PM
What is Political Science? Part I: Politics and the Discipline
open.substack.com/pub/craigmit...
open.substack.com/pub/craigmit...
The phrase 'rules-based order' is currently ubiquitous. But as is so often the case, it's not accompanied by a clear definition of the term or an explanation of states' approaches to this order historically. Definition and context are essential for understanding.
January 5, 2026 at 6:48 PM
The phrase 'rules-based order' is currently ubiquitous. But as is so often the case, it's not accompanied by a clear definition of the term or an explanation of states' approaches to this order historically. Definition and context are essential for understanding.
Ovenden is right that "It isn’t a grand conspiracy", but this isn’t serious analysis either. There’s no explanation of how an executive with a significant majority is practically or constitutionally constrained from choosing more effective governance.
Just like the Tories, Labour's centrist hacks think themselves omniscient and infallible - they cannot fail, they can only be failed. So when they do fail, they blame everyone else.
We saw it with the Tories, and it's already started from the Starmerites with this idiotic dreck: archive.ph/rHoXA
We saw it with the Tories, and it's already started from the Starmerites with this idiotic dreck: archive.ph/rHoXA
January 3, 2026 at 3:31 PM
Ovenden is right that "It isn’t a grand conspiracy", but this isn’t serious analysis either. There’s no explanation of how an executive with a significant majority is practically or constitutionally constrained from choosing more effective governance.
Reposted by Craig Mitchell
A summit taking place in Helsinki today is the first of its kind.
Spearheaded by the Finnish PM, it underscores a growing anxiety among the EU’s so-called Eastern flank countries about Russia’s increasingly brazen efforts to test their defenses.
🔗 politi.co/4qfyaiU
Spearheaded by the Finnish PM, it underscores a growing anxiety among the EU’s so-called Eastern flank countries about Russia’s increasingly brazen efforts to test their defenses.
🔗 politi.co/4qfyaiU
December 16, 2025 at 6:25 PM
A summit taking place in Helsinki today is the first of its kind.
Spearheaded by the Finnish PM, it underscores a growing anxiety among the EU’s so-called Eastern flank countries about Russia’s increasingly brazen efforts to test their defenses.
🔗 politi.co/4qfyaiU
Spearheaded by the Finnish PM, it underscores a growing anxiety among the EU’s so-called Eastern flank countries about Russia’s increasingly brazen efforts to test their defenses.
🔗 politi.co/4qfyaiU
Reposted by Craig Mitchell
U.S. Showing Signs of ‘Rapid Authoritarian Shift,’ Civic Freedoms Report Warns time.com/7339363/us-c...
U.S. Shows Signs of ‘Rapid Authoritarian Shift,’ Report Warns
Civic freedoms in the U.S. have declined following President Trump's return to office, the report from CIVICUS found.
time.com
December 9, 2025 at 6:47 PM
U.S. Showing Signs of ‘Rapid Authoritarian Shift,’ Civic Freedoms Report Warns time.com/7339363/us-c...
"The Alliance remains as susceptible as ever to the vagaries of American dominance and Trump’s position illustrates the inescapable fragility of transatlantic dependency".
Full article: Looking ahead: imbalance, dependency and NATO’s uncertain future www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Full article: Looking ahead: imbalance, dependency and NATO’s uncertain future www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Looking ahead: imbalance, dependency and NATO’s uncertain future
Throughout is 75-year history, NATO’s European and Canadian allies have had a dependent and uneasy relationship with the United States. The relationship persisted because the United States was will...
www.tandfonline.com
December 10, 2025 at 6:56 PM
"The Alliance remains as susceptible as ever to the vagaries of American dominance and Trump’s position illustrates the inescapable fragility of transatlantic dependency".
Full article: Looking ahead: imbalance, dependency and NATO’s uncertain future www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Full article: Looking ahead: imbalance, dependency and NATO’s uncertain future www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
ODI: Think change: Five things you should be hearing about immigration, but won’t be odi.org/en/insights/...
Five things you should be hearing about immigration, but won’t be
Realities about migration and displacement that you won't hear from politicians during party conference season in the UK.
odi.org
December 9, 2025 at 7:46 AM
ODI: Think change: Five things you should be hearing about immigration, but won’t be odi.org/en/insights/...
The C of E’s decision to challenge Robinson’s extreme rightwing stance comes amid growing unease among church leaders about the rise of Christian nationalism and the appropriation of Christian symbols to bolster the views of his supporters.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
C of E to challenge Tommy Robinson’s ‘put Christ back into Christmas’ message
Church leaders respond to far-right appropriation of Christian symbols with ‘Outsiders welcome’ message
www.theguardian.com
December 7, 2025 at 7:54 PM
The C of E’s decision to challenge Robinson’s extreme rightwing stance comes amid growing unease among church leaders about the rise of Christian nationalism and the appropriation of Christian symbols to bolster the views of his supporters.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
Reposted by Craig Mitchell
I've written a review of The Steady State report on American autocratization. Former members of the U.S. intelligence community wrote this report.
open.substack.com/pub/craigmit...
open.substack.com/pub/craigmit...
REVIEW: Accelerating Authoritarian Dynamics: Assessment of Democratic Decline
A Review of the Steady State Report
open.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:54 AM
I've written a review of The Steady State report on American autocratization. Former members of the U.S. intelligence community wrote this report.
open.substack.com/pub/craigmit...
open.substack.com/pub/craigmit...
Reposted by Craig Mitchell
Whatever else this government do (and there's plenty of issues with this budget) ministers will always be able to point to this as an incredible important contribution to the country's future. Almost half a million kids taken out of poverty.
Scrapping the two-child limit in full is a monumental decision. Well done to all involved in the Child Poverty Strategy, and everyone who has made the case against the policy.
OBR says scrapping costs £3 billion in 2029-30 and will lift 450,000 out of poverty
OBR says scrapping costs £3 billion in 2029-30 and will lift 450,000 out of poverty
November 26, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Whatever else this government do (and there's plenty of issues with this budget) ministers will always be able to point to this as an incredible important contribution to the country's future. Almost half a million kids taken out of poverty.
Reposted by Craig Mitchell
And honestly I don't give a fuck if it's popular or not. It's going to make a lot of kids' lives better. That's the point of government. Not an opinion poll.
November 26, 2025 at 1:12 PM
And honestly I don't give a fuck if it's popular or not. It's going to make a lot of kids' lives better. That's the point of government. Not an opinion poll.
I've written a review of The Steady State report on American autocratization. Former members of the U.S. intelligence community wrote this report.
open.substack.com/pub/craigmit...
open.substack.com/pub/craigmit...
REVIEW: Accelerating Authoritarian Dynamics: Assessment of Democratic Decline
A Review of the Steady State Report
open.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:54 AM
I've written a review of The Steady State report on American autocratization. Former members of the U.S. intelligence community wrote this report.
open.substack.com/pub/craigmit...
open.substack.com/pub/craigmit...
Reposted by Craig Mitchell
Going to leave you with a Home Office chart from their most recent asylum stats so you can decide whether the UK is a magnet for asylum seekers with a uniquely generous asylum system www.gov.uk/government/s...
November 17, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Going to leave you with a Home Office chart from their most recent asylum stats so you can decide whether the UK is a magnet for asylum seekers with a uniquely generous asylum system www.gov.uk/government/s...
BBC News - Anti-black racism 'baked' into Met, review finds
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Anti-black racism 'baked' into Met Police, review says
The independent review surveyed 40 years of evidence of how racism has affected black communities and black Met Police staff.
www.bbc.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:58 AM
BBC News - Anti-black racism 'baked' into Met, review finds
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
1/ Here are some thoughts on the remarks made by Reform UK’s Sarah Pochin on TalkTV (Saturday 25 Oct)...
October 26, 2025 at 2:58 PM
1/ Here are some thoughts on the remarks made by Reform UK’s Sarah Pochin on TalkTV (Saturday 25 Oct)...
Reposted by Craig Mitchell
Something I wrote on the expanding recognition of the state of Palestine.
Recognition of Palestinian Statehood: Examining the Counter Arguments open.substack.com/pub/craigmit...
Recognition of Palestinian Statehood: Examining the Counter Arguments open.substack.com/pub/craigmit...
Recognition of Palestinian Statehood
Examining the Counter Arguments
open.substack.com
October 18, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Something I wrote on the expanding recognition of the state of Palestine.
Recognition of Palestinian Statehood: Examining the Counter Arguments open.substack.com/pub/craigmit...
Recognition of Palestinian Statehood: Examining the Counter Arguments open.substack.com/pub/craigmit...
Something I wrote on the expanding recognition of the state of Palestine.
Recognition of Palestinian Statehood: Examining the Counter Arguments open.substack.com/pub/craigmit...
Recognition of Palestinian Statehood: Examining the Counter Arguments open.substack.com/pub/craigmit...
Recognition of Palestinian Statehood
Examining the Counter Arguments
open.substack.com
October 18, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Something I wrote on the expanding recognition of the state of Palestine.
Recognition of Palestinian Statehood: Examining the Counter Arguments open.substack.com/pub/craigmit...
Recognition of Palestinian Statehood: Examining the Counter Arguments open.substack.com/pub/craigmit...
Reposted by Craig Mitchell
Um. There’s a woman presenting this too.
Rylan Clark is set to delve into the eerie world of witchcraft in his new show, The Witches Of Essex.
Rylan Clark slams 'misogyny' in British witch hunt as he fronts new Sky show
Rylan Clark shares the spotlight with professor Alice Roberts in The Witches Of Essex, where the pair delve into the dark history of witch hunts - and one discovery rattled Rylan.
www.ok.co.uk
October 13, 2025 at 12:37 AM
Um. There’s a woman presenting this too.
Reposted by Craig Mitchell
The idea that "the median voter will feel attacked" by challenging Reform over racism is certainly not shown by the data in this piece. It shows they may be indifferent. (It may mean a different important swing voter, who isn't the median voter)
Crying racism only hurts Labour
Activists like it, but the median voter will feel attacked.
📊 @bwalker.uk
Activists like it, but the median voter will feel attacked.
📊 @bwalker.uk
Crying racism only hurts Labour
Activists like it, but the median voter will feel attacked.
www.newstatesman.com
October 1, 2025 at 6:35 PM
The idea that "the median voter will feel attacked" by challenging Reform over racism is certainly not shown by the data in this piece. It shows they may be indifferent. (It may mean a different important swing voter, who isn't the median voter)
Reposted by Craig Mitchell
My thoughts on Palestines's recognition:
- they aren't illegal or condoning Hamas
- they make those that don't recognise Palestine more isolated
- they will improve Palestinian diplomacy
- but aren't enough for stopping Israel's war and occupation.
More:
theconversation.com/the-uk-canad...
- they aren't illegal or condoning Hamas
- they make those that don't recognise Palestine more isolated
- they will improve Palestinian diplomacy
- but aren't enough for stopping Israel's war and occupation.
More:
theconversation.com/the-uk-canad...
The UK, Canada and Australia have recognised Palestine – what does that mean? Expert Q+A
Diplomatic recognition, when done in concert, carries more heft than isolated gestures – and governments know this.
theconversation.com
September 22, 2025 at 4:15 PM
My thoughts on Palestines's recognition:
- they aren't illegal or condoning Hamas
- they make those that don't recognise Palestine more isolated
- they will improve Palestinian diplomacy
- but aren't enough for stopping Israel's war and occupation.
More:
theconversation.com/the-uk-canad...
- they aren't illegal or condoning Hamas
- they make those that don't recognise Palestine more isolated
- they will improve Palestinian diplomacy
- but aren't enough for stopping Israel's war and occupation.
More:
theconversation.com/the-uk-canad...
The right's use of Kirk's murder to further delegitimise political opponents and advance their project of autocratization is a fact being missed by far too many.
September 12, 2025 at 5:53 PM
The right's use of Kirk's murder to further delegitimise political opponents and advance their project of autocratization is a fact being missed by far too many.
Too often the Palestinians - rather than being treated as a people with rights and aspirations - are viewed as nothing but raw material, to be used or disposed of in service of egregious political and religious ambitions.
August 1, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Too often the Palestinians - rather than being treated as a people with rights and aspirations - are viewed as nothing but raw material, to be used or disposed of in service of egregious political and religious ambitions.
60,000 Gazans have been killed. 18,500 were children. These are their names.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/intera...
www.washingtonpost.com/world/intera...
60,000 Gazans have been killed. 18,500 were children. These are their names.
Palestinian children have been killed at a rate of more than one per hour since the war began.
www.washingtonpost.com
August 1, 2025 at 4:31 AM
60,000 Gazans have been killed. 18,500 were children. These are their names.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/intera...
www.washingtonpost.com/world/intera...